Although many variables associated with altruism have been identified in experimental or quasi-experimental situations, little systematic evidence documents the course of a particular altruistic act as a naturally occurring phenomenon (Rushston, 1976 review). This lack of data stems from the difficulty of obtaining a measure of aid-giving which occurs with sufficient frequency and reasonable consistency in a natural setting. One form of aid-giving that circumvents this problem is the intervention of a third child on behalf of another during an agonistic interaction on the playground. Such episodes are highly visible, frequent, and easily quantifiable. It is proposed that this type of intervention is neither a random or spontaneous event, but is mediated by potent situational cues. More specifically, it is suggested that such aid-giving has a high probability of occurrence if the child under attack exhibits an "appeasement display" (Ginsburg & Pollman, 1975; Ginsburg, in press) which the aggressor fails to heed. If a signal of submission is offered and aggression continues, then intervention is most likely to occur. This hypothesis would be examined through the use of "on-line" observational recording and subsequent analysis of videotape records. The major objectives of this analysis would be to: (1) provide a detailed description of the specific types of antecedent situational variables associated with the consistent elicitation of this form of altruistic behavior; (2) determine the degree to which such intervention could be predicted, given the presence or absence of a precipitating variable: (3) examine the role of benefactor-recipient reciprocity during similar future episodes of aid-giving. A potential outcome of this proposal would be the availability of information leading to further understanding and predictability of altruism on the part of children. Data obtained may provide an empirical base for theoretical account of altruism as a biosocial phenomenon.